Governing mechanism for compressor-engines.



1. w. J ONES & W. F TREIBER. GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR COMPRESSOR ENGINES.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918;

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. [914.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE I. I9I4.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE Il I914 I q/vi/twwobo:

Patented Sept. 10, 1918 4 SHEETS-SHEET'II.

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GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR COMPRESSOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILiD JL JNE 1. 19M.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4 a vwe ntoz ST AVAILABLE COP" JQSEPH W. JONES AND WILLIAM F. TBEIBER OF CORNING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TG INGEBSOLL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW J EBSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR COMPRESSOR-ENGINES.

Patented Sept, 12, 1918 Application filed June 1, 1914. Serial No. 842,146.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Josnrrr W. Jones and WILLIAM F. 'TREIBER, citizen of the United States, residing at Corning, in'the county of Steuben and State of New York,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Governing Mechanism for Compressor-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to governing mechanism for steam engines, and more particularly to governing mechanisms for engines for driving compressors or pumps wherein the admission of steam to the engine is governed not only by the speed of the engine, but also by the discharge line pressure of the compressor or. pump.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple variable inlet controlling mechanism together with a stable and at the same time sensitive governor, by means of which the pressure in the discharge line of the compressor can be maintained at a constant figure and the admission of steam'varied in accordance with the amount of fluid required from the compressor.

A further object is to arrange the governing mechanism so that the speed of the engine can not,-at any time, exceed a certain maximum, as, for example, when. the pressure in the discharge line of the compressor has not reached the amount which the governor is adjusted to maintain.

Vith these objects in view, a governing device has been devised, practical embodiments of which are represented in the ac 'companying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 shows a plan view'oi a steam driven compressor provided with a preferred form of this regulatingmechanism, the steam cylinder and valve mechanism being shown in section.

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation partly in section of the governor proper.

Fig. 3 shows a front, partially sectional, view of the governor and Fig. 4 shows a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of governor.

As shown in Fig. 1, the complete comprises a compressor nary construction, to t I 1 c conveyed alternately to the ports at and 5 by inlet ports 10 and 11.

To vary the admission to the inlet ports 10 and 11, cut-off blocks or disks 12 and 13 are provided which are reciprocated with a constant lag behind the valve 6 by means of a valve stem 14L which is actuated by a valve rod 15 from a second eccentric, (not shown), on the main shaft 8.

Running longitudinally of the, valve 6 and secured thereto are rods 16 which pass through the cut-off blocks 12 and 13, serving to guide these blocks and prevent any rotary movement. The amount of cut-01f produced by these cut-ofi' blocks is determined by the distance between them and this is varied by means of the rod 14 which has opposite screw threads 17 and 18 engaging similarly threaded apertures through the blocks 12 and 13 so that rotation of the stem 14 draws the blocks together, or moves them apart depending upon its direction. The rotation of the stem 14 is accomplished from the governor proper by a sprocket 19 which rotates in a fixed bearing on the base plate of the engine and through the center of which passes the outer end of the stem 14 which is squared where it passes through the sprocket 19 so that it can have longitudinal movement but not rotary movement relative to the sprocket 19.

The stem 14 is secured in the cross head 20 of the valve rod 15 so that it can revolve in the cross head 20 but can not move longitudinally of it. The sprocket 19 is connected by a chain 21 to a second sprocket 22. The sprocket 22 is actuated by a fluid operated motor comprising a cylinder 23 in 'hich slides an elongated piston 24 provided 'ith a rack 25 which meshes with gear- ;th on the shaft 26 of the sprocket 22,the

BEST AVAlLABLE COP tached a weight 27 of considerable size,

which serves to move it-downwardly, the threads 17 and 18 being so directed that the downward movement of the piston under in fluence of the weight serves to draw cut-off blocks 12 and 13 together and increase the amount of steam admission. The lower end of the cylinder 23 is connected by a passage 28 to a fluid chamber 29. The fluid chamber 29 is constantly supplied with fluid from the discharge pipe 30 of a rotary oil pump 31 of ordinary construction which is driven by a' chain 32 from the main shaft 8 of the engine, the speed of the pump and hence the amount of oil delivered to the chamber 29, consequently varying with the speed of the engine. The main outlet from the chamber 29 is-through ports 33 into the interiorof a valve sleeve 34 in which slides a controlling valve 35. The ports 33 open into a c lindrical chamber in the valve sleeve 34, a' ove and below which are inwardly projecting valve seats 37 and 36. Above and below the valve seats 37 and 36 are cylindrical chambers ,38 and 39 of larger diameter than the valve seats, these chambers 38 and 39 communicating by ports 40 and 41 with a discharge chamber 42.

The valve is provided with controlling heads 43 and 44 which fit closely the interior surface of the valve seats 37 and 36. The

upper edges of controlling heads 43 and 44 are so placed that they uncover or cover simultaneously the lower edges of valve seats 37 and 36, while the valve head 43 is of such length that in the lowest position of the valve 1t oes not reach the valve seat 36 and close off the escape of fluid through the ports 41. Fluid from the discharge chamber 42 escapes through an outlet opening 45 to an outlet chamber 46 the size of the outlet opening 45 being adjusted by means of a screw plug 47 for a pur ose which will be hereafter described. X similar outlet opening 48 with an adjusting screw 49- is provided from the chamber 29 to the outlet chamber 46. From the chamber 46 the oil or other controlling fluid passes through a pipe 50 back to the inlet of the oil pump 31.

To actuate the valve 35 the following mechanism is provided. To the upper end of the valve 35 is attached a connecting rod 51 which in turn is attached to the short end of a compound lever 52 the upper end of which is attached by a rod 53 to the weight "27. The lever 52 is fulcrumed on a rod 54.

attached to a second leverv 55 which serves 'to actuate the valve. The lever 55 has a stationary fulcrum 56 and is provided on its outer end with a large weight 57 and on the other side of the fulcrum with a short projecting lug 58 which engages the head of an elongated stop rod 59 the lower end of which slides in an adjustable nut 60 and is limited in its movement by an adjustable screw plug 61 which projects into the lower end of the nut 60. A light spring 62 holds the stop rod 59 against the lugs 58. Engaging the lower side ofthe lever 55 directly under the fulcrum point 54 of the lever 52 is the pointed upper end of a pistonrod 63 which is attached to a piston 64 sliding in a cylinder 65. To the lower end of the cylinder65 a pipe 66 leads from the receiver or as here'shown, from the discharge line 67 of the compressor, which leads to the receiver.

In operation, supposing that the compressor is started up with an empty receiver and hence with no pressure in the discharge line, the parts of the governor will be in positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Under such conditions the sprocket 19 will be revolved around as far as it can be in a direction to draw the cut-off blocks 12 and 13 together to allow the maximum admission of steam to the cylinder 3, and at the moment of starting the engine there will be no oil passing through the pump 31 and consequently only a small amount of oil in the chamber 29.

The various levers attached to the valve the valve seats 37 and 36 so that oil can freely escape from the chamber 29 past the valve seats, and through ports 40 and 41,

discharge chamber 42 and outlet opening 45 to the outlet chamber 46.

Now, when the engine is started up the cut-off blocks 12 and 13 being in ositions to afford maximum inlet and there eing no pressure in the discharge line of the compressor, the engine will immediately pick up to a high speed sending a large quantity of oil through the oil pump 31 to the chamber 29.- From the chamber 29 there will be a constant escape into the chamber 46 the amount of this escape being adjusted by the,

screw plug 47 controlling the outlet opening 45. The size of this opening 45 regulates the maximum speed of the engine since when the oil pump is furnishing more oil to the chamber 29 than can be taken care of by the outlet opening 45, the excess fluid will pass into f the cylinder 23 raising the piston 24 and turning the sprockets 22 and 19 and the valve stem 14 an amount sufiicient to adjust the cut-off so that the speed of the engine does not exceed the determined maximum.

When theengine is first started up there being no load on the compressor it will require very little steam to keep the engine to this l' 'qimum speed and consequently the pist [grill be near the upper limit of its BEST AVAlLABLE COP movement. This movement of the piston 24, will, of course, cause movement of the valve 35 downwardly through the compound lever 52 but the lever lengths are so calculated that'the head 43 has no effect on the flow of oil as long as the discharge line pressure is below the amount necessary to move the piston 64.

When the pressure in the receiver rises slightly after the engine is started and hence the load on the engine is increased the first result will be a slowing down of the speed of the engine with the increasing load.

' This, however, will cause a less flow of oil through the oil pump, and since the amount escaping through the opening 45 is constant the piston 24 will necessarily move downward slightly and increase the amount of steam admission supply increasing the speed of the engine to its original amount, so that the piston 24 will be held in its new position.

As the load on the compressor increases, therefore, with the receiver pressure, the piston 24 will gradually move down until the receiver pressure reaches the amount for which the governor is set. This pressure is determined by the position of the weight 57 and the adjustment of spring 62 which exert a constant downward pressure on the piston 64 no matter what the load on the compressor and the position of the piston 64 may be. Moving the weight 57 roughly adjusts to the desired amount the pressure needed to raise the piston 64, while fine adjustment is accomplished by the adjustable nut 60 which determines the tension of the spring 62. When the discharge line pressure reaches the amount necessary to raise the piston 64 the control of the engine by the flow of the fluid through the outletl opening is superseded by control through the discharge line pressure which is accomplished by the valve 35 in the following manner. It .is evident that to maintain the discharge line pressure of the compressor at a constant figure it is necessary to admit just enough steam to the engine to maintain the speed of the compressor at such a point that it will furnish just sufficient air to make up for what is being removed from the discharge line. Until the discharge line pressure has reached the predetermined amount the engine will be controlled by the size of the opening 45 and will operate at its maximum speed and capacity. When the predetermined pressure has been reached the first result will be that the piston 64 will move upwardly carrying with it the lever 55 and hence the lever 52 and the valve 35, the fulcrum point of the lever 52 during such movement being the rod 53.

As the valve 35 moves upwardly the heads 43 and 44 will slide onto the valve seats 37 and 36 and close off the flow of fluid into the chamber 42. This will immediately increase the amount of fluid in chamber 29 which will raise the piston 24, and lessen the amount of steam admitted to the steam engine. The movement of the piston 24, however, will be communicated to the valve 35 through the lever 52 andmove it downwardly to a non-operative position, again allowing flow of fluid to the chamber 42 and checking the movement of the piston 24.

The position of the pistons 24 and 64 and the valve 35 will thus be, determined entirely by the demand of fluid from the compressor and will automatically adjust themselves thereto. If,-for instance, when the compressor reaches the desired pressure the demand is only slightly less than the full capacity of the compressor the piston 64 will not move any great distance upwardly be- .fore the speed of the engine is reduced the small amount necessary to adjust the output of the compressor to the demand, and if this demand is constant the piston 64 will remain slightly above its lowermost position while piston 24 and valve 35 will automatically adjust themselves so that the amount of fluid escaping past the heads 43 and 44 is just equal to the amount furnished by the oil pump at that speed. The piston 24 will thus be kept in a constant slightly raised position causing a corresponding partial cut-off of the steam admission. With decreasing demand it will be evident that pistons 24 and 64 will be moved correspondingly upward while the valve 35 will move upward ust enough to maintain the amount of leakage to chamber 42 equal to the decreasing amounts furnished by the oil pump at less speeds. When there is no demand at all on the compressor, therefore, the heads 43 and .44 will close ofi the flow of oil to chamber 42 entirely. In such a case the engine would be shut ofl entirely were it not for the opening 48, the size of which is so adjusted by the screw plug 49 that sufficient steam is admittedto the engine to just turn it over, the opening of the port 48 therefore being just suflicient toallow the escape of the amount of oil furnished by the oil pump at this minimum speed.

It is obvious, moreover that when the demand on the compressor increases at any time, the pressure in the discharge line will fall and consequently the piston 64 will move downwardly, moving the valve 35 downwardly, and hence causing an increase in the amount of escape of fluid from cylinder 23. This will cause piston 24 to move downwardly, increasing the inlet to the en- -gine and hence its speed. The movement of l checking the downward movement of piston 24, the parts very shortly reaching a new position of balance adjusted to the new demand. I

In Fig. 4 a modified form of regulator is shown in which the maximum speed control is omitted and the control by discharge line pressure alone. retained, this form being adapted for use in conjunction with a fly ball governor. The construction of this form is essentially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, except that the openings 45 and 48'are omitted, the ports and 41 opening directly into the outlet chamber 46. In this figure a modified form of valve mechanism is also shoWn which is equally well adapted to thefor-m shown in Figs. 1 to 3. In this modification the valve 35 is directly attached to the lever 55 while the valve sleeve 34 is pivotally secured to the lever 52, this lever having its fulcrum point 54 stationary. With this construction when the piston 64 moves the valve 35 upwardly closing ofl the escape of fluid to the chamber 46 the upward movement of the piston 24 will not move the valve 35 downwardly but will effect the same result by moving the valve 34 upwardly.

With the form of regulating mechanism shown in Fig. 4 a constant supply of oil might be provided through the pipe 30 instead of the variable supply required for the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Although the regulating mechanism is here shown as applied to a certain type of steam valve it is equally applicable to any type of valve having a movable controlling element which can be attached to or moved by piston 24;

It is to be understood that the present showing and description discloses only certain .specified modifications of our invention, and other forms and modifications are. included in the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

We claim: 1. In combination with a compressor, its discharge line, and a driving engine having amovable inlet varying element, a motor for operating said inlet varying element comprising a cylinder and a piston operatively connected to saidinlet varying element, means to provide a flow of fluid to said cylinder to move the piston to close said inlet, a valve for controlling the effective. amount of the fluid admitted to said cylinder, a motor comprising a cylinder and a piston to operate said valve to increase the amount of fluid in said cylinder when the pressure insaid compressor discharge line exceeds a predetermined amount and a lever mechanism connecting said inlet varying motor piston, said valve and said valve motor piston, said lever being arranged to transmit the motion of said inlet varying motor piston in closing saidinlet to move said valve so as to decrease the efi'e-ctive admission of fluid to said inlet varying motor cylinder. 7

2. In combination with a compressor, its discharge line, and a driving engine having a movable inlet varying element, a motor comprising a fluid chamber, and a fluid operated actuating element in said chamber operatively connected with said inlet varying element, means for constantly supplying fluid to said chamber, a valve mechanism for controlling the escape of said fluid from said chamber, said actuating element for said inlet varying element being arranged to move in a direction to close the inlet to said engine when the escape of said fluid is closed ofi', means to operate said valve mechanism to close off the escape of said fluid when the pressure in said compressor discharge line reaches a predetermined amount, and a compound lever for transmitting the motion of said inlet varying actuating element in closing said engine inlet to operate said valve mechanism to open up the escape of fluid from said chamber.

3. "In combination with a compressor, its discharge line, and a driving engine having a movable inlet varying element, a motor having a cylinder, and a piston operatively connected with said inlet varying element,

means for supplying fluid constantly to said cylinder, a valve mechanism arranged to control the escape of fluid from said cylinder, means to operate said valve mechanism to close ofl' the escape of fluid from said cylinder when the pressure in said discharge line rises above a predetermined amount,

said piston being arranged to move in a connected with 'said inlet varying element,

means for supplying fluid constantly to said cylinder, a valve mechanism arrangedto control the escape of fluid from said cylinder, means to operate said valve mechanismto close off the escape of fluid from said cylinder when the pressure in said discharge line rises above a predetermined amount, said piston being arranged to move in a direction to close the inlet to said engine when the escape of said fluid is closed off and a compound lever for transmitting the motion of said piston in closing said engine inlet to operate said valve mechanism to open the escape of fluid from said cylinder, said valve mechanism and piston operating" in the reverse manner when said discharge line pressure falls.

5. In combination witha compressor, its dischar e line, and a driving engine having a mova le inlet varying element, a motor having a cylinder and a piston operatively connected With said inlet varying element, means for supplying fluid constantly to said cylinder in an amount varying with the speed of the engine, a valve mechanism arranged to control the escape of fluid from said cylinder, means to operate said valve mechanism to close off the escape of fluid from said cylinder when the pressure in said discharge line rises above a predetermined amount, said piston being arranged to move in a direction to close the inlet to said engine when the escape of said fluid is closed vofl' and a compound lever for transmitting the motion of said piston in closing said engine inlet to operate said valve mechanism to open the escape of fluid from said cylinder. 6. In combination with a compressor, its

having a cylinder, and a piston operatively connected with said movable element, means for supplying fluid to said cylinder, a valve for controlling the escape of fluid supplied to said cylinder, said piston being arranged to move to close the inlet of said engine when said escape controlling valve'is closed, a valve controlling motor comprising a piston havin an adjustable pressure on one side and discharge line pressure on the other and arranged to move said valve to close oif the escape of said fluid when said discharge ressure exceeds the opposed pressure, and a ever mechanism connecting said engine inlet controlling piston, said valve controlling motor mechanlsm being arranged to open said controlling valve to allow escape of fluid when said first mentioned piston is moved to close the inlet of said engine and vice versa.

7. In combination with a compressor, its

7 discharge line, and a driving engine for said compressor having a movable inlet varying element, a motor comprising a cylinder and a piston operatively connected with said movable element, means for supplying fluid to said cylinder in accordance with the speed of said engine, an escape port for fluid supplied to said cylinder, a valve for controlling said escape port, a valve controlling motor comprising a piston havin a constant adjustable pressure on one si e and discharge line pressure on the other, and a leiston and said valve, said lever ver connecting said engine inlet controlling piston, said valve controllingpiston, and said valve, said lever arranged to transmit the inlet closing movement of said engine inlet controlling piston to move said valve to open said escape port.

8. In combination with a compressor, its discharge line, and a drivin engine for said compressor having a mova le inlet varying element, a motor comprising a cylinder and a piston operatively connected with said. movable element, means for supplying fluid to said cylinder in accordance with the speed of said engine, an escape port from said cylinder, a valve for controlling said escape port, said escape port controlling valve opening into a closed chamber provided with an adjustable outlet opening to determine the maximum speed of said engine, means for closing said valve at apredetermined discharge line pressure, and additional means for thereafter opening said valve to an extent varying with the compressor demand.

9. In comb1 ation with a compressor, its discharge line, anda driving engme for, said compressor having a movable inlet varying element, a motor comprising a cylinder and a piston operatively connected with said movable element, means for supplying fluid to said cylinder in accordance with the speed of the engine, an escape port for the fluid supplied to said cylinder, a closed chamber" necting said i et motor piston and said valve to open said valve as said piston moves to close the engine inlet, said second piston and lever being so arranged that said port is opened at all times to said chamber when the discharge line pressure .is below a predetermined amount.

10. A discharge line pressure and speed controlled regulator for compressors, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, adapted for connection to an engine inlet controlling element, a weight for moving said piston in one direction, a fluid inlet pipe leading to the cylinder to provide fluid to move the piston in the other direction; a fluid pump driven from the engine, a discharge pipe from said pump connecting with said cylinder inlet pipe, an escape opening from said pump discharge pipe, a valve controlling said escape openmg, a controlling motor for said valve comprising a piston I having adjustable pressure on one side and compressor discharge line pressure on the other, a lever connecting said valve, said valve controllin piston and said engine in- 5 let controlling piston being arranged in such a Way that said escape port is open at all times When the compressor discharge: line pressure is inefi'ective on said valve controlling piston, a closed chamber for rei ceiving the discharge from said escape opening, said chamber having a manually adjustable outlet opening, and a second manually adjustable outlet opening leading directly from said cylinder.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto 15 set our hands.

[JOSEPH W. JONES.

WILLIAM F. TREIBER.

Witnesses: 4 CLAUDE PITTS, HERBERT L. HOLLISTER. 

